-
Please take a moment and update your account profile. If you have an updated account profile with basic information on why you are on Air Warriors it will help other people respond to your posts. How do you update your profile you ask?
Go here:
Edit Account Details and Profile
Aviation Uniforms and Customs for the new ENS
- Thread starter jointhelocalizer
- Start date
3 standard green flight suits at API Gear Issue (46L)
1 oversize green flight suit additionally at FRS with issue of the worthless and obsolete CWU-62 dry suit (48L)
1 "Blue" flight suit issued at squadron check in for "VIP" flights
2 additional "Blue" flight suits issued upon arrival at TW-5 at ITU.
I never could understand the reasoning of the blue flight suit - what operational requirement drove its existence? In my squadron we were issued one for "VIP flights" but the requirement was a holdover from when HC-6 flew a handful of VH-3A's to the Capitol Area and Pentagon 5 days per week. By the time I was a young nugget, HC-2 had been formed - and they did all the VIP work.
We did use the blue flight suit to identify the Naval Courier during our nuclear weapons transport mission - I always joked that in addition to clearly identifying who the Marines were supposed to protect, it also highlighted who the terrorists should kill first - lest the Courier pull the T-handle and melt the fuse internals of the weapon.
In CNATRA there was no clearly stated purpose for the blue flight suit - other than it made people mistake you for USCG. TW-6 permitted short sleeve versions for ops in their T-39's and T-47's. That actually looked cool. For me it was two more flight suits my wife to wash that gave me a week plus of clean uniforms. By 1994 with the advent of flight suit shoulder insignia and christening of the flight suit a "uniform" in the Naval Services, the blue suit was mothballed. I actually repurposed mine for civilian helo flying in my HAA days when I would ferry aircraft or fill in at other mid-west bases that had adopted nomex.
and the useless CWU-62 Dry Suit - with improved collar/cuff (replete with official dry suit storage bag)
1 oversize green flight suit additionally at FRS with issue of the worthless and obsolete CWU-62 dry suit (48L)
1 "Blue" flight suit issued at squadron check in for "VIP" flights
2 additional "Blue" flight suits issued upon arrival at TW-5 at ITU.
I never could understand the reasoning of the blue flight suit - what operational requirement drove its existence? In my squadron we were issued one for "VIP flights" but the requirement was a holdover from when HC-6 flew a handful of VH-3A's to the Capitol Area and Pentagon 5 days per week. By the time I was a young nugget, HC-2 had been formed - and they did all the VIP work.
We did use the blue flight suit to identify the Naval Courier during our nuclear weapons transport mission - I always joked that in addition to clearly identifying who the Marines were supposed to protect, it also highlighted who the terrorists should kill first - lest the Courier pull the T-handle and melt the fuse internals of the weapon.
In CNATRA there was no clearly stated purpose for the blue flight suit - other than it made people mistake you for USCG. TW-6 permitted short sleeve versions for ops in their T-39's and T-47's. That actually looked cool. For me it was two more flight suits my wife to wash that gave me a week plus of clean uniforms. By 1994 with the advent of flight suit shoulder insignia and christening of the flight suit a "uniform" in the Naval Services, the blue suit was mothballed. I actually repurposed mine for civilian helo flying in my HAA days when I would ferry aircraft or fill in at other mid-west bases that had adopted nomex.
and the useless CWU-62 Dry Suit - with improved collar/cuff (replete with official dry suit storage bag)
Last edited:
I used mine for winter kayaking for many years, before finally replacing it with a commercial one. Still use the suit liner.
As an aside, when I paddleboard in the winter, I'll typically walk into the water and float around a little, surrounded by ice, before hopping up and paddling. Good lesson in what to wear underneath it to stay warm. It's a ton of fun to be the only knucklehead out there.
Spekkio
He bowls overhand.
This is in some manual somewhere. I could tell because the best person at doing laundry was the boot CS - clothes came back actually clean, dry and folded. This lasts about 2 weeks when you can tell some salty CS2 told him to knock it off. About 2 days later is when the chop gets summoned to the COSR to explain why his clothes aren't properly dried...
I’ll bite on epaulets on the blue flight suit:
Would soft green/tan shoulder boards on flight suits (like RAN, Canadians, etc.) to look more navy than USAAC be cool or no? I’m conflicted. Would be cheaper and easier. Never was a part of naval aviation, but shoulder rank hasn’t been around that long either.
The RN makes it look awesome - I saw a few dudes try the soft shoulder boards from the white SDB shirt on the blue flight suit - it looked dorky and there was a fair amount of JOPA shaming as a result. I'd love to see USN adopt something like the RN and Canadians...
Last edited:
Not sure what's useless about the dry suit. Sure, it was god awfully uncomfortable but it served a purpose (if worn with appropriate undergarments).
Peace there - being tongue in cheek. I was always envious of the more sophisticated AF and USCG constant wear ensemble that did not require you to wear a flight suit over it.
Just tossed my dry suit a couple weeks ago. Was going through boxes in my hangar and found it. Was all stiff from dry rot and the cuffs so brittle they broke off. Issued 1983 for NORPAC. Saved the PR shop bag it was stored in. Still have my wet suit. It fit me when I started scuba and figured it would be nice to have for some winter socal diving. As it turned out, I was only a warm water diver. Never wore it, not even when issued for flying. Now it doesn't fit.
I believe that type has been phased out. I only had one that was worn instead of a flight suit, not under it. Unless that has changed again in the last few years
I was under the impression that the Navy and Marines used the CWU-74/P - designed to be worn as an outer garment
Well we aren’t allowed to wear green flight suits now so in my case at least I went from six flight suits to two.
When I was at the FRS the old style was one worn under a flight suit. They were switching over to a new version that is worn instead of the flight suit. It had a big zipper all the way around the waist
That looks like mine. It had a coverall undergarment and was worn over the flight suit. Again, that was over 35 years ago.